As a Los Angeles native who has rubbed elbows with my fair share of celebrities, I found myself imagining Lake Como, Italy, as any cliché-skeptical American might: an overrated luxury resort town that had only gained international attention when George Clooney bought a villa there in 2002. But this cynic stands corrected.

The truth is, Lake Como is like heaven on earth. It is a gleaming gem in the center of Italy’s crown jewels. Capturing the region’s unparalleled beauty and narrowing out which attractions to highlight is a real challenge, and over the course of six days this past June, I had a life-altering experience and fell in love with the city and its community.